Hypoxia tolerance, longevity and cancer-resistance in the mole rat Spalax - a liver transcriptomics approach.

ABSTRACT: The blind subterranean mole rat Spalax shows a remarkable tolerance to hypoxia, cancer-resistance and longevity. Unravelling the genomic basis of these adaptations will be important for biomedical applications. RNA-Seq gene expression data were obtained from normoxic and hypoxic Spalax and rat liver tissue. Hypoxic Spalax broadly downregulates genes from major liver function pathways. This energy-saving response is likely a crucial adaptation to low oxygen levels. In contrast, the hypoxia-sensitive rat shows massive upregulation of energy metabolism genes. Candidate genes with plausible connections to the mole rat's phenotype, such as important key genes related to hypoxia-tolerance, DNA damage repair, tumourigenesis and ageing, are substantially higher expressed in Spalax than in rat. Com

SUBMITTER: Schmidt H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5662568 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature